Damian Lillard: ‘I’m Going to Say Something Back’ to Draymond Green

Damian Lillard doesn’t normally like to talk a whole lot of trash, but if Draymond Green insists on yapping (as he did in Game 1 and will likely continue to do so throughout the first round Playoff series), then that’s just fine with Dame.

Lillard says he won’t back down from the fiery Warriors forward, and that he enjoys the back-and-forth.

Damian Lillard on Draymond's trash talking: "That's just good for the game. The league has softened up a lot."pic.twitter.com/bkqQOIPuhU

“For me, it’s just going to make me raise the level of my game because I take [Green’s trash talk] as a challenge,” Lillard said after his team’s 121-109 loss. “I’m going to take exception to it, and I’m going to say something back. That’s what it’s going to be, as long as that’s how he’s approaching it — it’s going to be coming right back.”

Through all the chatter that may occur in this series, Lillard said he respects and appreciates what Green brings to the game.

“I think the league has softened up a lot, and it’s not like that, so you’ve got to have a rough guy like him out there,” Lillard said. “I think it’s necessary. I think their team depends on him to be that dog out there and to be that person.”